


we are one and the same the two of us. we suffer the same condition (love)

by bckwrds101



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: :), F/F, I can't even tag, That's how random it is, The most random thing, it's just a collection of choni oneshots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2020-11-27 07:24:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20944553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bckwrds101/pseuds/bckwrds101
Summary: this is a collection of choni oneshots :)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi!  
so, I know, I know, I have other works to write, but writer's block is awful and writing this is helping a lot. soon the other stories will be updated, I promise. while the new chapters are not ready, here are some requested prompts/au. 
> 
> this first one is based on:
> 
> "C'mere, you can sit on my lap until I'm done working." (ps.: no, it wasn't too late to send prompts :) )
> 
> I hope you like it.
> 
> @bckwrds101

Cheryl Blossom does not consider herself a clingy person. Right, scratch that, she does consider herself a clingy person, however, she tries her best not to be. Not to let it show that every second Toni is away is a second Cheryl misses her like she’s never coming back.

_She just feels every emotion as if it’s the first time they hit her. Intensely. _

So she knows it’s not rational of her to miss her girlfriend just when Toni is just downstairs finishing her politics homework. They’ve been living together for a week, Cheryl has been through worse when it comes to that feeling she’s currently trying to ignore, given the fact that it surely was not pleasant when the Serpent still lived at Sunnyside and she was alone in Thistlehouse. 

_It’s like the first time she feels it, she just can’t control that. Of course she wishes she could._

Also, she’s trying her best to conceal that side of her not to scare Toni away. 

_Toni Topaz is the most precious person ever, it would be stupid to let her go. _

The TV is on because, despite not being one of Cheryl’s favorite things to do, watching it is one of the only things that can catch her attention for enough time so she stops thinking about Toni and how she misses her. 

_And all the hundred things she could have done or said that would cause her girlfriend to just abandon her._

Which is not happening. Toni is just doing her homework, it’s not like she’s packing up to leave. 

_But she could._

And that’s the thought that causes tears to well up in Cheryl’s eyes and the redhead to stand up from her bed. The movie is not even that good anyways. She’s just going to check on Toni. It’s only been a week since she’s moved in, Cheryl needs to make her feel comfortable. What if she wants food, or water, or company?

Walking down the stairs, Cheryl urges the tears away from her face and takes a deep breath. For a second, her heart clenches at the possibility that Toni already left without saying a word, but she quickly ignores it.

_Her phone and her jacket are in the bedroom, Toni wouldn’t leave without them. _

It’s hard to believe Toni wouldn't leave just because she lov- likes Cheryl as much as Cheryl lov- likes her. The thought of the phone and the jacket seems more realistic in her head, and brings enough comfort, so it’s okay. 

She can see Toni’s figure working diligently on her assignment from the doorframe, the pink haired girl’s eyebrows are furrowed, she’s leaning forward to read whatever is written on her computer and her tongue is sticking on the left side of her mouth in that cute way Cheryl lov- adores. She’s focused. Cheryl shouldn’t disturb her, she seems comfortable enough.

_And she’s still _ ** _there. _ ** _She shouldn’t ruin it._

Cheryl hides herself behind the wall, not to be spotted by her girlfriend, and is about to silently go up the stairs to her room again, to finish that awful movie she doesn’t even remember the name anymore, when she hears Toni’s voice. Calling her. 

“Cher…?”

_Soothing. _

As she turns back around and stops by the door, Toni is looking at her with a fond smile on her face. She seems tired, but she has that look that Cheryl knows is reserved for her, and she smiles back, nervously, playing with the sleeves of her sweater. Toni’s sweater, actually. 

“Hi, baby.” Toni says, once no word leaves Cheryl’s mouth. 

“Hi, TT.”

“What are you doing up?” The question itself is reasonable, it’s two in the morning after all. It doesn’t stop tears from welling up in Cheryl’s eyes again at the thought of being too needy and scaring Toni away. It’s two in the morning, how is she supposed to explain that irrational fear of abandonment that just hit her, and how is Toni supposed to deal with that when the Serpent has done nothing but assure her over and over again that Cheryl’s not alone? 

“I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. Comfortable.” Urging her voice not to break, but failing nonetheless, Cheryl responds. 

It’s better than saying ‘I was afraid you’re gonna leave me’. 

_More rational, even._

Toni lets out a tired chuckle, running her hand through her face, then hair. Cheryl lov- adores her hair. 

Red’s always been her favorite color, but there has been a part of her that’s obsessed with pink. It’s the color of her room in the beach house the Blossom’s own, decorated when she was only seven years old and didn’t really have much of a say in it. It’s the color of the sweater she was wearing when she fell down the slide and her mother hugged her for possibly the first time she can remember; the color of the cotton candy Penelope Blossom allowed her to have for not crying her heart out like she wanted to after the fall; the color of the popsicle Jason demanded to be given when he saw Cheryl happily having her sugary dessert. 

There used to be no good explanation for her to be obsessed with that color. Cheryl liked pink for all the wrong reasons.

_Now she l- loves it for all the right ones. _

“And here I was, thinking you were missing me just as much as I’m missing you.” Toni says with a smile. Cheryl smiles as well, her heart soaring.

_Toni misses her. _

“Of course I miss you, TT.” She says, a chipper tone this time, the weight of feeling like a burden suddenly washed away by the seemingly simple words her girlfriend said.

_Toni misses her. _

“I just didn’t want to bother you.” 

“You never bother me, baby.” Toni says, simply, with a chuckle. As if the idea of Cheryl being a burden has never gone through her head. “Besides, it’s always good to have the company of the world’s best girlfriend.”

Cheryl knows she’s quite far from receiving that title. She is sure there’s no way she can be seen as the best girlfriend, she can hardly see herself being a good one. Full of insecurities and fears. Imperfections. Toni always knows what she’s feeling, and Cheryl is not about to fool herself into thinking there are truth to those words. Her girlfriend is solely saying that for the sake of giving her comfort, making her feel better. That’s one thing Toni knows how to do. 

Toni never makes Cheryl feel bad about herself. And even when Cheryl’s not feeling her best, Toni senses it, knows is, and makes her feel better. 

_Toni is the best girlfriend ever. She’s the most deserving of that title. _

“You are too kind, TT.” Cheryl chuckles, she’s probably going to ruin that sweater from the amount of times she’s fidgeted with it already, but she can’t help it. 

As if sensing her tension, Toni asks, a frown on her face as she tilts her head in worry. “What’s wrong, Cher?”

There’s nothing really wrong. Everything’s perfect. 

_And that’s what scares her._

She leans on the doorframe and looks down. Clearly Toni knows she’s not feeling the greatest, unaware of the full extension of it, probably, but she can sense when something’s not right. There’s no use to lie and say she’s feeling great. Toni sees right through her. 

“I just want to be around you.” She shrugs, in a small voice. As if that confession didn’t carry the weight it does at the moment. It doesn’t really carry all the truth, though, since Cheryl has failed to let out the scariest and most important line. _All the time._

One second later, Toni pushes her chair back with her body and reaches an arm out for Cheryl. She smiles softly as the redhead looks at her with those wide doe-like eyes, unsure of what to do. 

“C’mere, you can sit on my lap until I’m done.” Toni says, raising her eyebrows in a wide smile, wiggling the fingers of the hand she’s reaching out, invitingly. Cheryl smiles as well, hesitantly walking towards her and grabbing her hand. 

_As if giving her a way out. Or some time to change her mind. _

“I wouldn’t want to impose.” She says, coyly, despite being only inches away from her girlfriend. She doesn’t even need to move closer, since Toni is the one to gently pull her into her embrace as Cheryl lets out a quiet giggle. 

When Toni’s scent invades her senses, and her touch warms her heart and soul, Cheryl can barely conceal the tears that threaten to fall from her eyes as she moves impossibly closer, burying her face in her girlfriend’s neck and moving her hand to Toni’s nape, gently stroking it. Toni lets out a content sigh and wraps one arm around Cheryl’s waist, holding her steady and brushing her thumb on that area, whilst using her other hand to write her essay. 

_Belonging. Cheryl feels like she’s exactly where she’s supposed to be._

“You're not imposing, Cher.” Toni says, and Cheryl can only hum at that sentence, feeling too comforted by the girl’s presence, and her touch, to disagree. She can think of a lot of ways she’s imposing, demanding, or a burden, but that's not an argument she wants to have, not when she’s so cozy and feeling way better than she was five minutes before. “And I’m almost done, so we’ll be up in the bedroom soon, okay?”

If Cheryl’s being honest, Toni can take as much time as she needs. There’s nothing the redhead lov- likes more than to be around her girlfriend, comfortably snuggled into Toni’s embrace, no matter where, no matter when, no matter how. 

_Belonging. _

Not much time passes, with both girls in silence, Toni multitasking by finishing her assignment and gently holding her girlfriend, when the feeling hits Cheryl. Full force. Again. 

_As if it’s the first time she feels it. _

The feeling of missing someone, even though they’re right there. The feeling that they're never coming back, even though they've never left. 

_As if she can’t let go, or she’ll be alone again._

The hold on Toni’s neck tightens and Cheryl reaches her free hand to grip onto the girl’s T-shirt, one more thing to keep her grounded, to remind herself Toni is not leaving, not now anyways. Cheryl closes her eyes and inhales that familiar scent. The one she lov- adores.

Of course Toni notices the change, she’s probably noticed it at the first sudden movement of Cheryl grabbing her T-shirt. The pink haired girl immediately drops her pen and moves her hand to caress her girlfriend’s red locks, gently, carefully, until Cheryl lets out a small whimper and fails to suppress a sob. 

“Cher.” Toni calls, in a soft manner, one that breaks Cheryl even further, causing her grip on the pink haired girl to loosen. In contrast, the arm holding the redhead’s waist tightens, steadying. 

“I just don’t- ” Cheryl starts, but can barely say that before another sob rips through her and she can’t breath and speak at the same time. It’s just too much.

“Shh…” Toni soothes, placing a kiss on the crown of her head, brushing back the strands of hair sticking on Cheryl’s face. “Breathe first, we’ll talk later.” She says, and Cheryl obeys, trying her best to breath in between sobs and stop herself from crying. 

It takes time, Cheryl can’t really tell how much, but it feels like forever to her. She manages to stop her hitching breaths and the sobs, all she does is cry silently, occasional whimpers leaving her as Toni pecks her forehead, or brush her tears away with the hand that’s not holding Cheryl onto her lap, or as much as soothes her with words of comfort. 

“Please don’t leave me.” It’s the first thing Cheryl says when she’s able to form cohesive words again. She feels curious eyes suddenly looking at her in confusion as the caresses in her hair stop, all she can do is duck her head down and avoid eye contact. 

“What makes you think I will, baby?” 

All Cheryl can do is shrug. She can’t even answer that question because, really, there’s always that voice in the back of her mind saying that Toni is about to leave at any moment, just like everyone else does. But there’s only that. There’s no rational explanation to that feeling, to that fear of being abandoned. Because Cheryl knows Toni is not like everyone else, Toni has proven to her over and over again that she’s with her for the long run. 

_Still, Cheryl worries. _

“Let’s just go back to the bedroom, okay?” Toni suggests. 

Cheryl widens her eyes and shakes her head.“Your assignment, TT.” She can’t keep giving Toni reasons to leave, she’ll end up doing it someday. 

“I can finish it at lunch tomorrow. C’mon, Cher, let’s snuggle in bed til you feel better.”

“No, TT. You’re almost done.” Cheryl says, looking at her girlfriend for the first time since her outburst. “I'm feeling better already…”

_She isn’t._

“You are not…” Toni responds with a sad smile, wiping Cheryl’s cheek with her thumb. 

_Toni always knows. _

“It's okay, baby. Really.” Toni is adamant, but Cheryl’s not about to be convinced. 

The thought that she should have stayed in the bedroom, mopping and overthinking everything, runs through Cheryl’s head. At least Toni would have been able to finish her homework without being disturbed by her girlfriend’s insecurities. That thought quickly fades as Toni gently strokes a strand of her hair, playing with it between her fingers before letting it go. 

_She should never regret choosing to be around Toni._

“I feel better when I’m around you, TT.” She says in a small voice, managing to smile at her before snuggling closer, placing a kiss on her girlfriend's neck. She feels Toni slightly tremble under her and sees the goosebumps on the exposed skin of the girl’s arms. “No matter where. No matter when.” Cheryl whispers, watching as Toni numbly nods.

“I don’t have much left.” Tony says, pecking her lips. “But if you ever want to go to bed, just say the word and we leave, okay?” 

She lov- adores the way Toni says ‘we leave’ instead of just telling her to leave and wait for her upstairs.

_It’s always the small things._

“Okay.” Cheryl nods, resting her face back into Toni’s neck and reaching for pink hair to play with until her girlfriend is done. 

“I'm right here, Cher.” Toni says, before going back to her assignment. “I'm not leaving you. You’re not alone.” She assures, as Cheryl takes another deep breath and inhales the girl’s comforting scent. 

Toni is right there. She can leave, but she’s choosing not to, for reasons beyond Cheryl’s comprehension. But she’s there. And Cheryl is not alone, not while Toni is around. 

_And that’s the most comforting feeling. The scariest one as well. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello, again.  
here are three suggested prompts in one oneshot (they'll be listed at the end notes, in order to avoid possible spoilers, if that makes sense...? it probably doesn't because there aren't may spoilers to be given, but anyways they're at the end lol)
> 
> so... yeah, I hope you like it!

The days are always supposed to be uneventful, or as peaceful as possible. Cheryl usually tries to make sure she’s not feeling wrecked, or damaged, or upset in the presence of her girlfriend. Even if she can’t stop herself from doing so sometimes. 

She tries to find peace when Toni is around, and she knows she can do it, if she allows herself that luxury. Toni always knows how to make her feel good. She always knows what Cheryl needs.

Just like this afternoon, when they were supposed to go out, hang out at Fangs’ trailer with a few of the Serpents, go to the Wyrm for a beer or two… uneventful. Then, one look at Cheryl by the door and Toni is suggesting they stay home, she says she wants to enjoy the presence of her beautiful girlfriend during this stormy day without her friends distracting them. 

They both know it’s not completely true. Cheryl is sure Toni just quickly picked up on how distraught she looked and decided it would be better if they stayed home.

Toni is just too good to her. 

A voice in her head asks when is all that kindness going to end? When will it end up in harsh words and inconsiderate actions?

Another one says Toni is not like that and that’s not going to happen, because Cheryl will be the one to mess up.

_As always._

So far, they haven’t talked about it. About what has brought Cheryl there in that state, after they had talked on the phone only fifteen minutes prior to her arrival and everything seemed okay. And Cheryl hopes they keep it that way. She’s too comfortable, and honestly, not in the mood, knowing that things most definitely may not end well if they have the conversation right now.

_One of them will get hurt, and Cheryl is almost one hundred percent positive it’s not going to be Toni._

So she’s ignoring it as best as she can, as they watch a horror movie on TV, the sound of heavy rain and thunders muffling the outside world from their comfortable nest. Cheryl lays with her head on Toni’s lap as the pink haired girl laughs about the movie that’s supposed to be scary, but it’s funny for her instead. 

The pink haired girl is caressing her girlfriend's red hair while Cheryl closes her eyes, clearly more interested in being with Toni than in the movie itself. The TV is just a distraction from her thoughts. 

The feeling of nails softly scratching her scalp, along with gentle fingers brushing through her hair causes Cheryl to sigh, contently, and a small smile makes a way to her face.

“What? Does that feel good?” Toni asks with a giggle, noticing her reaction right away. Cheryl hums, because it absolutely does. And it’s so soft and comforting that she can’t even bring herself to speak.

_It’s better than she deserves, if she’s being honest with herself._

At the sound of her girlfriend’s gentle voice, Cheryl feels it again, that feeling that causes butterflies to dance around her stomach and her heart to soar. The feeling that has brought her to Toni’s place with a pale face and trembling lips. The realization that she has to go through it all over again. She’s only been familiar with it once in her life.

It can’t be…

_'You’ve never know love, Cheryl. Except to rip it apart.' _

Trying to focus on the feeling of fingers brushing her hair, nails softly scratching her scalp, Cheryl urges herself not to go back to that place in her mind. She knows she’s going to regret it. Thinking about the past has never brought her any comfort. Cheryl needs to focus on the present.

It doesn’t stop a familiar voice to invade her mid. 

_'I don’t know what happened, Mrs. Blossom. One minute we were laughing and the other minute she was kissing me. It’s not my fault, I swear.' _

Heather’s wails pinning the blame solely on Cheryl will forever haunt the redhead in her sleep. 

It doesn’t really help that the Blossoms had paid her best friend's family off to move somewhere else, going as far as lamenting their daughter’s deviant ways, making up for it with a few extra thousand dollars. After Heather had left, there was no way to figure things out between them.

_To figure herself out in the process._

Did she suffocate Heather? Did she overwhelm her with all her existential crisis and family problems? Did she just feel too much? Did she cage Heather with that much feelings? Was it exaggerated? Was it the wrong way to love someone? Was she ever enough?

_‘My mother destroyed it.’_

Did she, though? 

Years of blaming her mother for ruining her first love doesn’t change the fact that they were ruined before they were even discovered by Penelope. Because she loved Heather, and strongly believed she was loved back. But Cheryl couldn’t just love right, she had to ruin it all with deep and strong feelings. 

Also, Cheryl would give whatever she had to protect her best friend slash love, her life even, while Heather would probably give a lot to protect Cheryl, as long as she saved herself first.

_Reciprocity? Is that how it works?_

That’s why Cheryl didn't argue when the blame was placed on her. She liked Heather enough to protect her. To be shred to pieces by her mother and father, as long as Heather was safe. 

If she’s being honest, Cheryl would probably have forgiven the girl, had her and her family not left after the Blossom’s monetary incentive. That’s how much she liked her.

That’s also why she’s cautious. She’d known Heather for her entire life, she knows Toni for less than a year. 

If Heather had thrown her into the lion’s den, what could Toni do? What would loving Toni cause? Pain? 

_Is that what she deserves?_

What is she going to do when Toni leaves?

_Because she knows they always do. _

Even if Toni doesn’t hurt her. It’s not safe. It’s not safe for that gentle pink haired girl that brings so much joy into Cheryl’s life. 

_She may ruin Toni. Toni deserves more._

Even if Cheyl’s miraculously safe, Toni isn’t.

_'You’ve never know love, Cheryl. Except to rip it apart.'_

“I need to go.” She says, out of a sudden, harshly standing up from the couch, where Toni sits, staring at her in confusion. 

Why can’t she breathe out of a sudden? She needs to leave. She can’t let it happen. It can’t be true. 

She can’t feel that for Toni. Or anyone else. It’s not safe. For any of them. 

“What? Cher?” Toni asks, still sitting on the couch as Cheryl paces around the trailer gathering her things.

Cell phone. Keys. Where are her shoes? 

“Baby, is everything alright?” Toni stands up this time, her eyes a mixture of gentleness and concern. Cheryl can’t stop to muse if those eyes could ever look at her with love.

They probably can’t. Toni deserves so much, that includes loving someone who knows how to love back correctly. Who doesn’t overreact over the smallest things and doesn't feel too hard. 

Maybe that’s what ruined her and Heather. Not Penelope Blossom, but herself.

She just feels too much, too deeply, while all she deserves to receive is a shadow of what she needs, of what she wants to give. 

_Shallow. _

She’ll destroy Toni. She’s doing it right now by not letting her go and find someone else. Someone better.

_Someone who doesn’t rip love apart. _

“Cher, baby, what’s going on?” Toni’s voice is slightly strained now, despite how she seems to want to keep calm and not overwhelm the redhead more than she clearly is already. Cheryl doesn’t deserve her at all. 

Whatever, she’ll buy another pair of shoes. She dodges her girlfriend and walks straight to the door, not sparing her girlfriend - future ex - a glance at all. She knows she’s going to give up leaving if she looks back at those eyes, that nose, those lips…

Cheryl needs to protect herself. She needs to protect Toni _from_ her.

And that’s why the redhead opens the door and walks out, feeling the cold rain soak her clothes instantly and her legs nearly give out on her as she skips down the trailer’s front stairs. It’s raining so much, Cheryl can barely listen to Toni’s voice, calling her back inside. 

With the sound of the rain, mixed with the loud voices in her head, she can’t even hear herself think.

“CHERYL!” 

She only hears Toni calling her when the girl is standing right beside her, a firm hand on her arm and widen eyes, along with rain soaked hair and trembling lips. It’s freezing. They’re freezing.

“I need to go, Toni.” Cheryl doesn’t even know if she really says that or if she’s just standing in the rain, looking at her girlfriend with deep sorrow. It’s like she is in fight-or-flight mode, strongly leaning towards the second option. She wants to get out, she wants to forget that feeling. 

They were having fun, Toni was being the best person ever, why did she ruin it with a feeling she doesn’t know how to give and doesn’t even think she deserves receiving. 

“Cheryl, what are you talking about? What do you mean you need to go? Go where?” Toni asks, she’s confused and she’s shaking but clearly trying to understand. “It’s raining too much, baby. Let’s go back inside.”

“I can’t go back inside, Toni.” Cheryl says, the sound of thunders and heavy rain muffling her voice slightly. “Please, let me go.” She means it in more than one way. And knows Toni will catch on to that. 

_Toni always understands her with one look._

Of course realization strikes her right away, Cheryl can feel it from the way the Serpent takes a step back, as if something or someone had pushed her, the hand holding her arm being dropped in the process. 

“Why?” It’s all Toni wants to know. And all that Cheryl doesn’t want to say. 

So they stay in silence. Toni waiting for an answer and Cheryl waiting for Toni to give up. 

“You don’t mean that.” Toni says, but her voice sounds even smaller with the sound of the storm around them. Cheryl hates herself for it, for making the only good thing in her life sound so broken, so vulnerable.

“I do.” She answers, less convinced of it than she should sound. Toni won’t let her go if she sees Cheryl suffering. 

Of course she’ll suffer, though. How can’t she? When she’s pushing away the light of her life because of what? 

_Shouldn’t love make people feel good?_

“I can see that you don’t, baby. You can lie to anyone in this world, but not me.” Toni says, Cheryl hears the sadness, the confusion, the shock. “Let's go back inside and talk, Cheryl.”

“No!” She’s adamant. If she goes back inside, she’ll give up. She’ll be selfish. “I'm not going back inside, Toni. Listen to me when I ask you to let me go.” 

She has to go, even though nothing will hurt her more in this world. Heather’s cries sound like nothing compared to the heartbreak Cheryl feels as Toni takes a step forward and holds her arm once more. Pleadingly, silently begging. 

“Please, Toni. Let me go.”

She can’t do this. It’s not safe. They’ll hurt each other, whatever Cheryl feels, she doesn’t feel correctly. Not like normal people should. 

Penelope is to blame for paying Heather’s family to leave. Heather is to blame for saying it was solely Cheryl’s fault and leaving whenever an escape was offered. Cheryl was to blame for everything else.

_She’s never enough. She doesn’t deserve as much as she wants to be given. It’s no ones fault but hers. _

“Let's go back inside, Cheryl.” Toni pleads, with trembling hands and tears in her eyes. Cheryl is too close to giving up on leaving, but also closer to doing what she think is the right thing than she’s ever been. "We’ll talk things through and we can get through this. I promise you, we can!”

“We can’t and we won’t, Toni. There’s no ‘this' we need to get through.” She responds, impatiently. She just wants to get out of there. “All I ask is for you to let me go.”

“No!” 

“Let me go!” She commands, but Toni doesn’t even budge. If anything, the hold on her arm tightens. It’s still gentle, definitely not enough to hurt her.

“I said no, Cheryl. Not until you-"

“LET ME GO!” Cheryl actually tries to pull herself away from the girl’s hold this time, but Toni is stronger, despite her gentleness. She holds on, because she probably knows that as soon as she lets go, Cheryl will run straight to her car and leave.

“NO! We’re not sixth graders, Cheryl. Let’s stop this pointless argument and go back inside.”

“Toni, please… I can’t do this. I can’t…”

“What can’t you do, Cheryl?” Toni asks, softly. Cheryl sees her resolve slightly crumbling, she knows if she keeps pushing, she’ll get what she wants.

“Stay. I can’t stay.”

She may ruin Toni if she does. Toni will hurt her if she does.

_That’s not the reciprocity she wants. _

_But then again, does she even deserve to be given what she wants? _

“Just tell me why, Cheryl.” Tears fall freely from Toni’s eyes as she pleads. Cheryl knows she’s stubborn, but will give in soon. “I'm tired, okay? I’m tired, and cold, and deeply upset because my girlfriend is trying to get rid of me and I have no idea what I did.”

She did nothing. She’s just too good.

It’s ironic, really, how much Cheryl has always wanted someone to be good to her like Toni is. But when she finds it, she realizes it’s more than what she deserves. Even though she desperately seeks for it.

Heather has never been as good to her as Toni is. In exchange, Cheryl has never liked Heather as much as she likes Toni. 

Even so, it’s just exaggerated. It’s just not right, not the proper way to love someone. 

_Never being enough, despite giving too much. _

Being overwhelming, and extreme, and sometimes hurtful or spiteful, despite all the love she feels. 

_Undeserving._

“Toni…” The tears in Cheryl’s eyes are getting harder to conceal, the more she looks at Toni and sees her girlfriend is sad and broken, and on the verge of giving up.

Isn’t that what Cheryl wants? For Toni to give up on her, so the pink haired girl can find the right love she deserves. Then Cheryl can go back to protecting herself from getting her feelings shred by people she cares too much for. 

_'You’ve never know love, Cheryl. Except to rip it apart.'_

“Just tell me why and I’ll let you go.” Toni says, not even looking into Cheryl’s eyes anymore. She only asks for one thing, and yet…

“I just can’t…”

At this point, Cheryl is not even sure if she’s scared of speaking her true feelings out loud or scared of the harsh reality that's she’s never going to hear Toni saying it back. A part of her is even terrified of the slight 0.01% possibility of Toni doing so.

“WHY, CHERYL? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?”

Toni just wants an answer, and she’s crying, and yelling, and broken. And Cheryl is to blame. She can’t blame anyone but herself. She doesn’t want to say it, to let it out, but isn’t it the least she can do?

Doesn’t Toni deserve the truth, no matter how much it will hurt Cheryl?

“BECAUSE I THINK I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU. AND I’M TERRIFIED.”

And just like that, Toni drops down the hand in Cheryl’s arm, her eyes widen and she doesn't really say anything. It’s like she’s struggling to even breath. 

Cheryl thinks she’s just struggling to find the kindest words to reject those feelings. So she turns her back to the pink haired girl and quickens her pace to leave that trailer park. She won’t give Toni the trouble to politely reject her, because it will hurt either way, polite or not, so what’s the point? If she leaves just now, no words will need to be said and it will spare them both.

Before she can get far, though, she feels a hand in hers, turning back around to see Toni close, gripping her hand tightly and looking at her with squinted eyes. As if she’s suddenly angry, other than in shock or upset. 

“So that’s it. you’re going to leave right after you say the L word?”

“That’s it.” Cheryl shrugs as she says it, despite the stubborn tears that fall from her eyes. That have actually been falling from her eyes ever since her confession. 

What else does Toni want her to do? Stay and beg? Or stay and hear how stupid she is for letting herself go as far as falling for someone else after the awful heartbreak she’s had in the past? Either way, it’s pointless. All she wants is to go home, curl herself into her bed, and cry herself to sleep. 

_Basically what she used to do before Toni came into her life._

“Coward.” Toni says, almost in defiance. Her voice is low, but she can make herself be heard despite the heavy rain still falling around them. On them. 

“Excuse me?” 

Out of every possible insult, that was the most unexpected and revolting one. How can Toni call her a coward, if that’s possibly the bravest thing she’s trying to do? For herself. For both of them.

“You heard me. You’re a coward for just running away.” Toni says. “You didn’t even wait for me to say something…” She mutters in complaint, and if the situation were another, Cheryl would probably be smiling at how adorable the pout that has formed in her face is.

“Don’t you dare call me a coward for trying to protect myself.” She responds, insulted by that comment. How dare she? "And most of all, trying to protect you! I’ll ruin you without even noticing. Deeply. Beyond repair.”

“I NEVER ASKED YOU TO PROTECT ME!” Toni protests, her voice getting louder as a thunder strikes nearby. Cheryl flinches, whether because of the thunder of because of how Toni sounds, and the Serpent instantly calms herself down to finish whatever she wants to say. “I can take care of myself just fine.”

“And you have the power to hurt me, Toni. Deeply. Beyond repair.” Isn’t that what Heather has done? “I can’t, Toni. Even if you can protect yourself, no one’s going to protect me!” Cheryl says, calmly, despite wanting to yell. This conversation is almost over with, all she needs is for Toni to let go of her hand. God knows she can’t bring herself to do it.

“And what exactly am I? A paperweight?” Toni laces their fingers, holding Cheryl’s hand even tighter, pulling her just slightly closer. She asks this in annoyance, mockery even, as if Cheryl is supposed to understand what that means.

“Uh?”

“Whatever makes you think no one’s going to protect you doesn’t really count on one thing.” Toni explains, tiredly, but kindly nonetheless. “The most important thing of all.”

“What could that possibly be?” It most definitely isn't self preservation. They’d be far away from each other if it were.

“I feel it too!” She says, as if the simplicity of all makes up for the whole argument they’ve just had. It just might. “I love you too! And I’d rather die before hurting you. So don’t be scared, you’re safe. With me!”

And when Toni unlaces their hands to cradle her face, brushing strands of rain soaked hair away from her cheeks, Cheryl thinks she believes her. Her heart pounds heavily in her chest, and her hands tremble as she places them on Toni’s waist, but as soon as their lips are locked together, it all comes to her. The feeling she’s been trying to ignore, deny even, hitting her strongly, intensely. 

Toni doesn’t really know the extent of Cheryl’s worries. She barely knows the story of her first heartbreak. But it doesn’t matter, not while they’re in each other’s arms.

Lovingly.

_For now, they’re safe._

“With you.” Cheryl echoes as they pull away from the kiss, pressing their foreheads together.

“Let's get back inside, baby. Let’s use up all the hot water in this damn trailer and I’ll make sure to show you the extent of my feelings.” Toni suggests, smiling softly, fondly. Then, she says the last words that brings more tears to Cheryl’s eyes, causing the redhead to fall into her embrace as the pink haired girl walks both of them back to the safety of her home. “Let me take care of you!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as I said this one is like a combination of three prompts, them being:
> 
> "I think I'm in love with you and I'm terrified."  
+  
"What? Does that feel good?"  
+  
'them kissing in the rain after an argument'
> 
> thank you all for reading! see you next time :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! 
> 
> So here's a short fluffy one... 
> 
> Just like in the previous chapter, the prompts will be listed at the end ;)
> 
> I hope you like it!
> 
> @bckwrds101

There are a few things in Toni’s life that make her consider herself unfortunate. From losing her mother at the age of twelve, and her father at the age of… Well, was he ever even there? To living with her prejudiced drunk uncle, having to work and pay for her grandfather’s medical bills at an early age, or even doing things for the Serpents she’s definitely not the proudest of. 

_Unprivileged._

However, as she looks at the stars, laying on the back of Sweet Pea’s truck while he and Fangs drive to a party in Greendale or wherever, with the most gorgeous girl resting her head on her stomach, that beautiful red hair spread everywhere, Toni can’t help but smile.

“TT.” She hears Cheryl’s giggles and stares at her girlfriend with the fondest smile. “Are you even paying attention to me?” Those giggles turn into a pout and Toni has to hold herself back from pulling the girl closer to her face just to kiss those beautiful red lips. She merely laughs instead.

She’s really not paying attention at all. How can she, when she has a masterpiece laying on her stomach, looking as if that’s the happiest she’s ever been?

_That probably is. Toni knows enough about the Blossoms not to underestimate their ability to make someone miserable for seventeen years._

Besides, she’s the happiest when Cheryl is around as well. They’re meant to be together.

‘You’ve saved my life, TT.’ Cheryl had once said. And Toni couldn’t feel more grateful to have those soft eyes and sweet smile reserved just for her.

Cheryl barely realizes it’s also the other way around. And Toni wants to say, to scream and shout, how grateful she feels for having Cheryl in her life. How Cheryl doesn’t understand, but she’s saved Toni in more ways than one. She’s given her purpose outside the shady business she does for the Serpents, given her hopes to one day leave her uncle’s trailer and never look back, given her a reason to live and not just merely exist. 

No, Toni’s never been through as many traumatic experiences as Cheryl has. No, she doesn’t think anyone in that godforsaken town has. Toni has, however, been through her fair share of painful moments. And life isn’t a competition of who’s the most messed up and who has to deal with the most traumas or suffering. 

The important thing is that they’re healing each other. Showing each other care and respect. And allowing themselves to grow as individuals and as a couple. That’s what they’re about.

Development.

Healing. 

_Love._

“Don't laugh! I’m gonna be carsick.” Cheryl says, with that pout still on her face, but the pink haired girl sees the way she’s holding back her smile, trying to look annoyed.

Toni smiles, once again admiring that beauty near her. She would give Cheryl the world, if she could. Her girlfriend deserves it.

_They both do._

“You’re pretty comfortable over there, aren’t you?” She asks, and when Cheryl lets out the most adorable laugh, Toni’s heart soars.

_Lucky._

“You're my new pillow.” Cheryl answers with a cute shrug. She grabs one of Toni’s hands in hers and plays with the rings on her fingers.

Sometimes Toni wonders if she’ll ever stop feeling like that whenever Cheryl touches her. She feels the fondness, the care, the love coming from her girlfriend, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

The never-ending butterflies, the way her heart races and she can’t hide that goofy smile on her face. Nor the heart eyes. Thank heavens Sweet Pea and Fangs are inside the truck, otherwise she’d be hearing whipping noises and constant mockery.

_Who wouldn’t be whipped for Cheryl though? Look at her._

“TT… you’re not paying attention again.” She looks at Cheryl and sees that pout on her face again. Adorable.

“Sorry, babe. What were you saying?”

“Why are you so distracted, mon amour?” Cheryl asks, seemingly casual, but Toni sees right through her. She sees something else in the redhead’s eyes. Insecurity. As if she’s taking Toni’s lack of response for something negative.

“C’mere, baby.” She urges Cheryl closer, pulling her by the hand to lay her head on Toni's chest, instead of her stomach. Cheryl easily complies.

It’s something she's learned earlier in their relationship. Hearing Toni’s heartbeat always causes Cheryl to feel calmer. Better.

_Toni would give her the world, if she could._

She notices Cheryl relaxing in her embrace right away, to the point of even suppressing a yawn. Toni smiles, because she knows Cheryl doesn’t really want to be there, or go to that party, but the redhead understands how much it means to Toni, how much she misses her childhood friend that had to move away from Riverdale and how that's the one of the only opportunities she has to see her. 

_It’s the little things._

“I'm just mesmerized by your beauty, baby.” Toni says, and she can’t really see her girlfriend’s face, but months of intimacy tell her that the redhead is blushing slightly. Cheryl never knows how to react to the small heartfelt compliments.

“Stop, Toni…” 

It breaks Toni’s heart in a way. It also makes her want to spend every second of the day showing how much she loves Cheryl. Just like Cheryl shows how much she loves and cares for her.

Every morning in Thistlehouse - after Cheryl refuses to let her go back to the trailer the night before, because they both know Toni’s uncle is there -, when Cheryl wakes her up to kisses and the sound of whispered ‘I love you’s; the way she knows exactly how Toni likes her coffee;when she bakes cupcakes for them to study for the finals; and how can Toni forget the loving notes Cheryl leaves in the mirror with her signature red lipstick.

_Little things._

Toni runs her fingers through Cheryl’s red hair, lightly scratching her scalp, knowing her girlfriend absolutely loves that. And she’s proven correct as the redhead snuggles closer, resting one arm on the girl’s stomach and sighing in content.

“You are aware that I’m gonna fall asleep if you keep doing that, aren't you?” Cheryl asks, her eyes already closed.

“We still have a few minutes to go, baby. You rest and I’ll wake you up when we’re there.” 

What Toni doesn’t count on, however, is that when Cheryl falls asleep, she follows soon after. Only to be waken up by Sweet Pea’s loud laugh and a flash. Her first instinct is to cover Cheryl’s ears and protect her girlfriend’s eyes from the bright light. Her second instinct is to glare at her friends, who are both holding their phones and taking several pictures of the girls sleeping peacefully.

“Wake up, losers!” Sweet Pea calls in loud voice, causing Cheryl to stir in her sleep and tighten the grip on Toni. The pink haired girl shushes him, and Fangs chuckles when he complies. “C’mon, Toni. You’re really gonna bail on a party to cuddle your girlfriend?” He asks in complaint, his voice almost a whisper.

“I didn’t come all the way over here to sleep in the back of your truck, asshole.” She answers, despite the fact that she’s currently unable to think of ways to wake Cheryl up, given how peaceful she looks.

“You should say that to your girlfriend. She seems pretty keen to the idea.” Fangs interjects, earning a nod from Sweet Pea and another glare from Toni.

Of course they're leaving the back of the truck to go to the party. It’s just… does it have to be now? When Cheryl is all relaxed and cuddly?

“Just go ahead and give us five minutes. We’ll be there in no time.”

Five minutes turn into two hours, because Toni doesn’t really have the heart to wake Cheryl up, so she ends up taking a nap as well. Then waking up. Then taking another nap until she feels her girlfriend stir in her embrace and look up at her. 

_She’d wait ten hours if she had to. _

Looking at her girlfriend sleepy face, those adorable doe-like eyes, she smiles fondly. There are a few things in Toni’s life that made her see herself as unprivileged. However, if every unfortunate event had lead her to Cheryl, the love of her live, she definitely considers herself the luckiest.

_If having Cheryl by her side is not enough luck for a lifetime, she doesn’t know what is._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this one is inspired by:
> 
> 'i would love to see a oneshot thats tonis pov and fluffy and just how appreciative she is of cheryl and the little things she does. im a sucker for fluff lmao' (uh... here it is! I'm not my best at writing fluff so, I hope you like it.)
> 
> +
> 
> them falling asleep with their heads on each other in the back of a car as someone drives (okay, the back of a car turned into the back of a truck and it wasn't technically what was requested but... yeah. I still hope it's okay!)
> 
> \+ 
> 
> "You're my new pillow." (so... finally I use one of those lines and it doesn't end up in angst, huh? lol)
> 
> Anyways, thank you for reading.
> 
> @bckwrds101


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello, there! 
> 
> here's another oneshot :)
> 
> this one would definitely not have happened without a little nudge from @cappuchoni (here and on twitter) and @toniboonch (@kingdomtopaz on twitter). so thank you, michele and kenz! I always say you two are too nice to me <3
> 
> anyways, I really hope you like it!

Cheryl has been dreading it for weeks now. Really. At least two Sundays have passed since that fateful one she'd found the object in Toni's drawer. By accident, of course. Toni had asked her to grab a flannel since Cheryl was already in the bedroom and, when Cheryl was reaching for the piece of clothing, she saw it. 

A small box. Blue velvet.

Everyone knows what a velvet box means. 

And it's not like Cheryl isn't ready for it… honestly, though, she isn't ready for it. So she'd just grabbed the flannel, closed the drawer and tried to pretend she hadn't seen anything other than clothes. 

And for the next three weeks, Toni hasn't even mentioned anything related to that box. Which Cheryl considered a good thing, it's not like Toni to simply pop the question without talking things through first. And that's the thought that comforts her the most, the idea of being able to talk to Toni about it and have her girlfriend understand it might be too soon. 

They're barely eighteen for heaven's sake. 

It's dinner night at Pop's when the first mention of anything related to that matter happens. 

"What do you think about this dress?" Toni asks, showing her a picture on her phone. 

Cheryl manages not to choke on her milkshake as she sees the white wedding dress her girlfriend is showing her. Small victories. But she can't stop herself from stuttering the answer.

"B-beau-, uh, beautiful, TT." She says with a smile. 

"You didn't like it." Toni raises one eyebrow and smirks at her. She just knows Cheryl too well, doesn't she?

It's not like the dress itself is ugly, Cheryl didn't lie when she said it's beautiful. It's just not the type of dress she wants to wear for her own wedding, and it doesn't look like a dress Toni would wear either. 

"I suppose I'm not particularly charmed by it." Cheryl says. "Now, enough of cellphones, TT. We're here to talk and enjoy each other's company."

"Sure, baby." Putting her phone away, Toni smiles cheekily at her, pecking her lips before taking a sip of the milkshake they're sharing.

If there was a way to pat himself on the back, Cheryl would be doing that. She's always been good at deflecting... Although Toni's always been just as good at calling her out on it. It's a little weird that her girlfriend didn't do it, but nothing out of the extraordinary.

If Toni's chosen not to push the subject, it either means she understood Cheryl's intentions by changing the topic of the conversation or she's just not as invested in talking about marriage as Cheryl thought she was. Which means she's not as invested in getting married as Cheryl thought she was. 

Maybe the box is just for future plans. When they're older. 

Cheryl herself keeps a ring in a velvet box. Just in case she one day decides the Blossom family ring does not carry as much weight as her last name does, and has nothing to do with the history of Uktena destruction. Toni's people destruction.

The chances of her actually giving it to Toni are slim, Cheryl would rather make her own traditions. To design her own family ring and put it on the girl she loves' hand. No slaughtery, no destruction, no madness attached to it. Just a ring. 

Their own legacy.

However, she can't help but being nervous as she thinks about Toni dropping the subject so quickly. What if Toni's really understood her intentions and is now upset? What if she really wants to get married and Cheryl's just crushed her hopes and dreams on that matter? 

"Are you not going to drink the milkshake anymore, baby?" The pink haired girl asks, her eyes soft and gentle as she brings her hands to Cheryl's cheek and caresses it. "You're just fidgeting with the straw." She comments, and the redhead forces herself to chuckle.

"I guess I've lost my appetite, TT." She says, pushing the milkshake to her side, so it's only in front of Toni.

"Our food is not even here yet." 

Cheryl shrugs and snuggles closer to her girlfriend, resting her head on Toni's shoulder. Toni furrows her brows, but takes a sip of the milkshake nonetheless. 

"Wanna get out of here?"

"Our food is not even here yet, TT, as you've mentioned. Besides, I've lost my appetite, not my wish to be by your side." Every time. All the time.

She just hopes Toni hasn't lost it either after Cheryl brushed off the picture of the wedding dress. The pink haired girl doesn't seem mad, she seems worried, actually. So Cheryl takes it as a good sign and happily sighs, closing her eyes and asking Toni about her school day.

~ 

The second time, two days later, Toni is more obvious about it. 

“Hey, baby.” She says, as soon as she spots Cheryl in the kitchen, slicing fruits for their breakfast. “Look how pretty this is.”

Needless to say, Cheryl nearly cuts her finger off when she sees the picture of an engagement ring. Her hands start shaking slightly as Toni quickly grabs the knife from her hands.

“It’s lovely, TT! I loved it!” She answers at the same time Toni says “Careful, babe.” 

Two things made Cheryl give her that answer. The first is, yes, despite not being of her taste, the ring is indeed beautiful and lovely. The second and most worrisome is the idea that the ring is already inside that velvet blue box Cheryl saw the other day, and she couldn’t possibly hurt Toni’s feelings by saying it’s not something she’d choose for herself.

If that ring is not the one Toni bought her and Toni chooses a unicorn shaped one or something like that, even, she’ll wear it, just because Toni was the one to choose it. 

“So, kinda unrelated to the ring...” Toni moves her sideways and takes on the task to chop the fruits, eyeing her girlfriend carefully. “But not necessarily unrelated to the ring. I have to talk to you about something.”

Is it really happening? Is Toni actually going to start this talk with the simple mention of a ring? Well, it’s gotta start somewhere. But does it have to be now?

No, it can’t be. Cheryl is not ready. She can’t possibly be talking about marriage at that moment. It’s insane. 

“I know I’ve moved in less than one year ago…” Toni keeps talking, while Cheryl desperately looks for a way out. “And we’re just now finding our rhythm, with Nana Rose with us and the twins visiting every weekend…”

The mention of Nana Rose has Cheryl wishing the old lady would find that a good time to do something Nana Rosey... scratch the walls, fall down the stairs, anything. Just so she can escape the conversation they’re about to have.

Truth be told, Cheryl is not ready to get married. She’s not ready, however, to tell Toni that. Especially not when the pink haired girl seems to be so keen on the idea. 

If she thinks about it, it’s not like Toni seems extremely keen on it, but the blue box she’s found in the drawer is playing with Cheryl’s mind. So she’s now taking everything as a sign that her girlfriend wants to get married.

Seriously, she’s started avoiding the chapel on their way back from school, taking the longer drive to Thistlehouse just to make sure that place won't serve as a conversation starter. She should have counted on Toni’s boldness, though. She knows that if Toni wants to talk about something, she doesn’t necessarily need a conversation starter. 

It’s kinda weird she’s actually taking the time to show Cheryl the pictures of the dress and the engagement ring, if Cheryl thinks about it.

“Baby, I lost you there for a second…” 

Just as Cheryl was about to answer her and start talking about the unavoidable, Nana rose calls from the living room. Apparently Cheryl owns her a chess match she’d promised the night before.

Saved by the bell… not the kind of bell she’s been trying to avoid. 

~

When people say third time's the charm, they’re not kidding. 

It happens too fast. One minute they’re surrounded by their friends - well, Toni’s friends, but Cheryl doesn’t dwell much on what the core four is to her anymore. she just smiles, nods and hopes they won’t treat her like disposable trash the next day -, and the other minute Toni is dragging her to a secluded spot, away from the commotion of the party they're hosting. 

"You look lovely, Cher." She starts, holding Cheryl by the waist as the redhead moves closer, smiling sincerely and brushing their lips together.

"You're looking pretty amazing yourself, TT."”

Toni smiles, but Cheryl can see there's something in her eyes. Hesitancy? 

Truth be told, Cheryl's been so worried all day with the preparations for the party, with the food, the drinks, the DJ that has canceled last minute and she had to ask Peaches 'n Cream to take the spot… she actually forgot about the fateful box from weeks ago. So it comes as a surprise to her when Toni suddenly takes it out of her pocket, nervously glancing at it as Cheryl does the same.

They haven't even talked things through. Despite showing her pictures of the dress and the ring, Toni hasn't even mentioned actually getting married. Technically, she has, once, when they were snuggled up in Toni's twin bed after Cheryl's rescue from the Sisters. But she's not even sure her girlfriend remembers having that conversation...

"Remember when I saved you?" Oh, fuck. "And we were in my bed, late at night, talking about anything and everything."

Cheryl could only stare at her. Her livid face looking at Toni's anxious one. She would give anything to brush all the pink haired girl's nerves away, to say she doesn't need to be anxious around her, tell her that she can say whatever she wants to say and Cheryl will understand and love her unconditionally.

Unconditional love. Cheryl knows she feels it… why is she hesitating though? She knows she wants to spend the rest of her life with the girl in front of her, so why does she feel like she's not ready? 

And she can't even decide what she'll say whenever Toni pops the question. There are two things she could do.

So what if they're barely eighteen? 

So what if they've just moved in together less than one year ago?

She loves Toni. Toni loves her.

Does she wish Toni had waited a few more years? Definitely. But she wants to spend her life with her, so why not say yes?

At the same time, they're barely eighteen.

They've just moved in together less than one year ago.

She loves Toni. Toni loves her. 

So she's sure Toni will wait a few more years if she asks her to. 

"I remember." She whispers, looking down at the box one more time. A lump in her throat she can't quite fight back. "You said you wanted to- to get married, get a house, have five kids and a dog."

"Well, since we already have the house, I've figured we could do things in a different order." Toni says, nervously lifting the box and placing a hand on top of it. 

That's it! Her girlfriend carefully lifts the lid of the box, despite the fact that the redhead doesn't have her answer ready yet. Before she can see what's inside, though, Cheryl idly mourns the fact that the velvet is not even red. 

And as the world stops when the box opens, Cheryl stares at it in confusion for a second. Not quite understanding the meaning of it. Because inside, there's no unicorn shaped engagement ring, or any other ring that Cheryl has to pretend to like just because Toni's chosen, but a bone shaped pendant with the name Olive engraved on it.

"I know it might be too soon, and we've never talked about it… But Ashley, my friend from Maine, can't take care of her, along with eight other puppies she's putting up for adoption. Olive's siblings."

A puppy? A puppy! A sigh leaves Cheryl as she happily nods.

A puppy! She vaguely remembers mentioning Sugar Blossom - the pomeranian she had for a few years when she was a kid before her mother had decided she didn't want any animals in the house - to Toni when they were in the first levels of their relationship. She remembers vividly, though, expressing the wish to have another dog. To care for it and love it as much as she'd loved Sugar.

"A puppy, TT!" Throwing herself in Toni's arms, Cheryl lets her girlfriend twirl her around before pecking her on the lips.

“A puppy!” Toni confirms, her gentle eyes turning nervous for glimpse of a second. “I told Ash to name her Olive because of...”

"Popeye. I remember." Cheryl's face softens in a smile as she recalls the reason she knows about the information. 

Cheryl will never forget Toni promptly and openly talking about her childhood, one day at Pop's. She remembers the girl saying that her father's most prized possession was a Video Cassette Player, while Toni's was the Popeye video tape she'd begged for, on her sixth birthday. At Pop's, she'd mentioned there was no way they could afford to buy more than one tape, so Toni had spent her childhood watching and rewatching the same Popeye episodes, over and over again. And it has been her favorite cartoon ever since.

“But if you want to choose another name..." Toni quickly adds with a nervous chuckle. "We can change it!”

  
  


"Olive is perfect, TT." Cheryl shakes her head and brushes her hand on the girl's cheek, affectionately. She loves the idea of having a puppy with a name that means something to her girlfriend. Even if this something is as simple as a cartoon reference. "A puppy… How domestic of us." She teases, her worries about marriage long gone, to what Toni rolls her eyes with a smile.

"You're gonna love her, baby." Toni says. "When Ashley showed me the picture, all I could think about was how we could make that small puppy feel cared for, and how much Olive is perfect for you. For us. And of course I wanted it to be a surprise..."

And a surprise it was, for sure!

"I think I already love her." Cheryl answers, another pressing issue coming to her mind. "But you said your friend is from Maine..."

"I've already made the arrangements. Don't worry. We can pick her up in two weeks when we go to Maine. That is… if you want to go with me?" Toni places a kiss between Cheryl's furrowed brows. "I didn't want to ruin the surprise by telling you we were invited to her wedding." Toni smiles wider. "She'll be the one wearing that b-beau-, uh, beautiful dress I showed you the other day. And that lovely ring I'm sure you weren't really fond of." She mocks, and it's Cheryl's time to roll her eyes playfully.

Cheryl is, in fact, glad that engagement ring wasn't the one Toni's chosen, though.

"I'd love to go to Maine with you, my love." She says, and when Toni looks at her with the softest eyes and most adorable smile, Cheryl can't help but return it before saying. "Now, show me a picture of our lovely baby Olive."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not gonna say there are some oneshots with olive to come, but there are some oneshots with olive to come. don't blame me, blame olive for being the cutest puppy ever.
> 
> thank you all for reading! see you next time!
> 
> :)
> 
> (also, if you have any prompt requests, you can send them on curious cat (bckwrds101) or on twitter (@bckwrds101), and I'll try to write them!)

**Author's Note:**

> so, what are your thoughts?
> 
> if you want to request some prompts/au ideas, send them through curiouscat.me/bckwrds101 and I'll try my best to write them :)
> 
> you can also find me on twitter @bckwrds101.
> 
> thank you for reading!


End file.
